All other floors

Floor Restorer and Basalt

As an internal stone, consideration must be taken of the type of finish that is applied. Basalt floors can suffer from a build-up of cleaning product residue. We can strip basalt floors and restore them back to their original finish.

History and Uses

Basalt is a common igneous (volcanic) rock generally formed from the rapid cooling of lava. The molten rock cools too quickly for large mineral crystals to grow, resulting in a very finely grained rock. It is nearly impossible to see the individual crystals with the naked eye. Sometimes it can contain larger crystals which would have formed prior to the volcanic eruption that brought the lava to the surface. As volcanic eruptions usually happen under the sea, most of the ocean floor is basalt.

Basalt is usually grey to black in colour, but rapidly weathers to brown or rust-red due to oxidation of its iron-rich minerals. Being a volcanic stone, it is very hard wearing. It is mainly used for external work but the neutral grey colouring also appeals to more contemporary tastes.

Floor Restorer and Terrazzo

Terrazzo floors should be maintained with a neutral cleaning solution. Terrazzo does wear and can chip but it can be repaired and re-surfaced. It is best maintained by diamond grinding and polishing to keep the finish up to standard. We can clean and maintain terrazzo as part of our maintenance programmes.

History and Uses

Terrazzo is a composite material made from using natural stone pieces like marble, quartz, granite or glass, that are set into cement or an epoxy. It is then cured, ground and polished to a smooth surface. Other aggregates can also be used such as mother of pearl and abalone shell. Terrazzo artisans create walkways, floors, patios and panels and can include shapes and medallions.

Terrazzo was originally invented by Venetian construction workers as a low cost flooring material using marble chips from larger jobs. The workers would surface the patios around their living quarters with the marble pieces, usually set into clay and then sealed with goat’s milk. Production of terrazzo became much easier after the 1920s with the introduction of electric industrial grinders and other power equipment.

Today, most of the terrazzo installed is epoxy terrazzo. It is much more hardwearing than cement terrazzo with a wider selection of colours. It is also stronger, lighter weight, impermeable, less susceptible to cracking and can be installed faster. Its disadvantage is that it can only be used for interior applications as it will lose its colour and peel when used outdoors, whereas cement-based terrazzo will not. Epoxy terrazzo is the floor that we mainly see in supermarkets and other areas which experience a lot of foot fall.

Floor Restorer and Concrete

We can grind and polish new or existing concrete floors. The process exposes the aggregate in the floor and transforms it from dirty grey to a beautiful finish. We can achieve different levels of finish, from matt right up to a high sheen, and a range of colours to suit your room.

History and Uses

Thanks to ‘Grand Designs’ the use of polished concrete has become hugely popular. Polished concrete is first treated with a chemical “densifier”. This fills in the pores and increases density which helps the concrete take a better shine once polished. It also makes the surface less permeable to liquids. It is polished with progressively finer grinding tools which gradually smooth out the peaks and valleys in the surface. Stains and dyes are often applied to enhance polished concrete as well as scoring or creating radial lines.

Polished concrete floors are low maintenance and very resilient as they will not chip or dent. They are popular in commercial environments but are more and more being installed in homes. Most people think of concrete floors as ugly, grey and utilitarian but modern advances in concrete mixing and setting have allowed designers to achieve an endless variety of colours and textures using this versatile material.

Floor Restorer and Sandstone

We have a technique to deep clean sandstone flooring and restore its natural appearance. We apply a number of coats of sealant and provide maintenance products to help with lasting care.

History and Uses

Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains. Most sandstone is made up of quartz and feldspar which are the most common minerals in the earth’s crust. It can have quite a rough, riven texture to it and, like sand, may be any colour, although most commonly tan, brown, yellow, red, grey, pink, white and black. Certain colours of sandstone have been strongly identified with certain regions.

Sandstone is resistant to weathering yet relatively soft, making it easy to work. It has been used for domestic construction since prehistoric times and continues to be a common building and paving material. It has also been used for artistic purposes to create ornamental fountains and statues and makes excellent grindstones for sharpening blades.

Although it can be used internally, sandstone is mainly used in external applications and has a strong, natural appeal. Even though it has a naturally rough surface, it can be honed to a smooth finish. It is important that it is installed well with plenty of sealant applied to give it lasting protection.

Floor Restorer and Yorkstone

We can deep clean Yorkstone and restore all  it’s natural beauty.

History and Uses

Yorkstone is a type of sandstone and comes specifically from quarries in Yorkshire that have been worked since medieval times. Yorkstone is a tight-grained sedimentary rock consisting of quartz, mica, feldspar, clay and iron oxides. Its colour is determined by the minerals within its makeup and differs depending on which quarry it has been mined from.

Known for its hard wearing and durable qualities, Yorkstone has been used in a wide range of construction, restoration and landscaping applications for many years. In Yorkshire, split stones, called thackstones, were used for roofing. The traditional London paving stone has always been Yorkstone.

Newly quarried Yorkstone is usually available as slabs for paving and walling. Reused Yorkstone paving, salvaged from demolished sites, is valued for its naturally weathered surfaces.

Floor Restorer and Porcelain

We have seen many porcelain floors where manufacturers’ carriage wax was left on leaving them cloudy. We can clean and restore porcelain floors and will always apply a sealant.

History and Uses

Porcelain tiles are ceramic tiles but are fired at much higher temperatures to produce a harder, denser and more durable product. The finish is smoother with a translucent, glassy surface. Porcelain tiles can be used to cover floors and walls but being harder, are more wear and damage resistant, and so are ideal in areas of heavy traffic.

Porcelain tiles are available in matte, unglazed or a polished finish. Matte and unglazed finishes are less porous and therefore more resistant to moisture than common ceramic tiles and are ideal for use in bathrooms. However with a polished finish, the porcelain is first fired and then the polish is actually cut into the surface, creating a shine without a glaze. When porcelain is first made it is not absorbent, but this polishing process makes it more porous and prone to absorbing stains. Unless they have a suitable, long-lasting treatment put on by the manufacturer, polished porcelain tiles will need sealing.

The disadvantage of porcelain is that it is heavier to handle and, being harder, is more difficult to cut and drill and therefore more expensive, both to buy and fit.

Floor Restorer and Ceramic

We can deep clean and restore ceramic tiled floors including cleaning or replacing grout. We also have grout colouring techniques.

History and Uses

As they are both made up of ceramic material, both porcelain and ceramic tiles can be referred to as “ceramic”. However non-porcelain tiles are generally true ceramic tiles. Ceramic tiles are by far the most popular tiles on the market. They are made from clay and are first shaped and dried before being kiln fired at very hot temperatures.

Ceramic tiles are most commonly used in bathrooms due to their ability to resist stains, odours and bacteria. They are also used on countertops as well as a roofing material. Modern manufacturing technology has allowed a huge variety of colours, sizes, shapes and textures which give unlimited design possibilities. They are finished with a durable glaze which carries the colour and pattern of the finished tile. They are used in both wall tile and floor tile applications and are softer and easier to cut than porcelain. These non-porcelain ceramic tiles are usually suitable for light to moderate traffic as they are more prone to wear and chipping.

Floor Restorer and Granite

Although very hard-wearing, granite can be damaged. Do not use bleach and other chlorine based cleaners, acids, caustic soda and concentrated disinfectants. Always ensure granite is correctly sealed and maintained.

We can restore damage to granite floors, worktops, vanity units and fireplaces and leave them properly sealed.

History and Uses

The word granite comes from the Latin word granum, a grain, referring to the coarse-grained structure of the rock, where the minerals, mostly quartz, mica and feldspar, are very visible. Granite is the oldest igneous rock on Earth and is very tough and durable. It began millions of years ago when parts of the Earth’s crust melted forming magma or molten rock. This magma rose upwards where it cooled very slowly and solidified into granite. Over time, the land above it eroded away and outcrops of granite often form tors and rounded massifs. Granites can be pink to grey in colour depending on their chemistry and mineralogy.

The earliest civilizations used granite to build. The Great Pyramids and Stonehenge were constructed of it and their existence today is testament to granite’s incredible durability. Today it is widely used in construction, mainly in commercial applications but also in homes.